Grip-latch.



W. R. GROTJOHANN &'O. D. GREEN.

GRIP LATQH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6.1916- Patented Apr; 8, 1919.

WM wl.

NIT SA ES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER R. GROTJ'OHANN AND OSCAR D. GREEN, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

GRIP-LATCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WVALTER R. Gno'r- JOHANN and OSCAR D. GREEN, citizens of the United States of America, residing in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grip-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fastening particularly adapted for use on windows of the type which are mounted on a horizontal pivot to swing in a vertical plane toward and from the window casing.

The handles referred to, or more properly grips, may consist of a band or bar bent to form a loop preferably of a flattened semicircular form through which the fingers and a portion of the hand are thrust in gripping. As a result of the present invention, we have.

conceived the idea of providing in connection with such grips or handles, a latch formed integral with each handle and conveniently disengaged when the handle is siezed to open or close the window and spring actuated so that the window when closed is fastened as soon as the hand is I taken from the handle.

In the accompanying drawings, we have illustrated a swinging window to which a fastening constructed in accordance with our invention has been applied.

Figure 1 'is aside elevation of a pair of sashes pivotally mounted and connected together as already described, the sash being broken away for convenience in illustration:

Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is aperspeotive ofa portion of the sash showing the right-hand grip and latch;

Fig. 4 is a perspective taken from the opposite side of the sash showing the left-hand grip andlatch, Fig. 5 is a view of the left-hand latch and gri detached; and

Fig. 6 is asection through the latch proper showing a modified form of spring attachment for actuating the latch.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, we have illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of sashes,-an upper sash 1 and a lowerpsash 2, connected to the frame 3 at the top and bottom respectively by sliding pivots so that the bottom sash opens by swinging in at the top and rising from the bottom of the frame, while'the top sash opens by moving down and swinging outward at the bottom. These two sashes are connected by a rod 4 which is pivoted centrally at 5 to the frame and pivotally connected at its ends 6 and? to the upper and lower sashes respectively.

These sashes may be secured by means of the usual window-fastening 8, 9 connecting the top of the bottom sash and the bottom of the top one, but it will be understood that owing to the particular manner of suspension, the sashes will not remain closed in the face of a strong wind unless they are fastened so that the provision of means by which they may be automatically fastened Whenever they are closed and conveniently released whenever it is desired to open them, is an important consideration. T0 thisend, we have provided a snap fastening Orlatch 12 integral with each grip or handle 10, 11 at the left and right sides respectively, of

the lower sash. As we have already pointed out, the handles or grips are in the form'of a looped or flattened semicircular band or bar secured to or seated at its ends in the sash, the latch or catch 12 being formed integralwith one of the seated ends of the loop. In the present instance, the handles or grips are in parallel vertical planes at right angles to the plane of the window and one end, preferably the lower end is mounted on a pivot 13, the other end carrying the latch 12 projecting at right angles to the plane of the loop of the handle being mounted'in a suitable slot 14in the sash, or

more properly a slot in the plate 15 which closes'the socket or chamber 16 in the sash made to receive the latch. Thus the grip is pivotally mounted to swing about its lower end in a plane parallel to the window and as it swings, the latch or catchterminal at the upper end of the grip reciprocates or'moves in and out through a suitable aperture 17 in the plate 15, forming the wall of the chamber 16 in the sash. The path of the latch thus described is parallel to the plane of the window at right angles to the plane of the loop forming the grip and in reciprocating on this path, the latch passes in and out through the lateral surface or edge of the sash. A suitable socket 18 is provided in the window frame opposite each latch in the closed position of the window and there is a spring 19 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 as a bowed or leaf spring, to impart a tendency to the latch to project from the chamber in the sash so that when the window is closed, it will enter and remain in the registering socket in the frame.

A second form of spring believed to be more durable or reliable in its action, is shown in Fig. 6 which is a cross-section through the latch and the end of the gr p. In Fig. '6, we have shown the latch 12 having an internal chamber 20 elongated in the direction of the latch proper, z'. 6., parallel to the plane of the window and entering or opening at the left or inner end of the latch 12. Within the chamber 20 is a coiled helical spring 22 which may be mounted on a suitable pin 23 and provided with a cup 24adapted to slide freely in the chamber and inclose the end of the spring 22. This cup is in turn held in position by plate spring 25 which has an action supplementary to the helical spring. This plate spring supports the cup 24, and holds the spiral spring 22 seated in the cup in position. It also has a supplementary action increasing the ten sion of the spring. This structure, as shown in Fig. 6, is particularly adapted for use on steel sash wlndows and frames which, on account of the extra strength and cost of the material, are made of small cross-Section which allows very little room for the fastening and particularly reduces the space available for the play of the spring. By using a spiral spring such as that marked 22 in Fig. 6, instead of the leaf spring, a considerable amount of space is saved and the necessity for using a leaf spring with a sharp bend which must necessarily be of short life, is avoided. The spiral spring can be furnished, particularly in the small sizes, at a comparatively low cost. -The operation of the latch herein described'is believed to be obvious in view of the description and drawings. When the window is closed and the latches arein operation, if it should be desired to open the window, the grips or handles are held one in each hand and turned inward, a comparatively slight pressure serving to overcome the springs and release the latches when the window is pulled open. If the window is to be closed, the same handles are engaged and the window thrown into closed position. As the forward orinward edge of the surface of the latch is inclined at 26., Figs. 3 and 4, it is not necessary in closing the window to press or swing the handles inward about their bottom ends or pivots to withdraw the latches, as this can be done by the impact of their inclined edges against the corner of the frame. But if it is desired to close the window quietly with very little shock or jar, this can be done without greatly increased effort.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for structed that it can be furnished at a very small additionafcost over that involved in supplying the handles now regarded as necessary. While we have described the latch as best adapted for use on windows of the kind illustrated in the drawings,.it

is equally applicable for use on doors which are accessible at one" side only, as 'doors of cupboards, refrigerators and the like.

We have thus described our invention specifically and in detail in order that its nature and operation may be clearly under.- stood; however, the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in their limiting sense and the scope of the defined in the claims.

What we claim is: Y

1. A fastening device for windows, doors and the like, consisting of a grip and a pivot securing the same to the member to be fastened, the grip being'curved forming a loop substantially in a plane including the axis of the pivot, the grip having a shoulder at the end opposite the pivot, a slotted socket in the said member to be fastened, the socket containing the shouldered portion, the loop passing through the slot and a latch secured to the grip adjacent the shouldered portion and projecting through the meeting surfaces of the members to be fastened, the latch moving back and forth through the plane of the meeting surfaces of the two members to be fastened and at right angles to the said plane of the pivot axis and grip as the gripping member is swung back and forth about its pivot. 2. A fastening device for holding a swinging member in a casing, the same consisting of a grip pivoted on the swinging member to swing toward and from the edge surface of the swinging member, and a latch carried by the grip and disposed at right angles to the grlp and said edge surface so as to move invention is back and forth in the direction of its length" and through said plane of the edge of the swlnging member as the grip swings about its pivot.

. Signed by us at Baltimore, Maryland, this Witnesses:

HELEN A. HAAs, ZELLA KUHN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

